BG 17: The Divisions of Faith

Bg 1.26 — There Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of both parties, his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, and also his fathers-in-law and well-wishers.

Bg 1.27 — When the son of Kuntī, Arjuna, saw all these different grades of friends and relatives, he became overwhelmed with compassion and spoke thus.

Listen to Recording:

Bg 17.26-27 — The Absolute Truth is the objective of devotional sacriﬁce, and it is indicated by the word sat. The performer of such sacriﬁce is also called sat, as are all works of sacriﬁce, penance and charity which, true to the absolute nature, are performed to please the Supreme Person, O son of Pṛthā.

Listen to Recording:

Bg 17.23 — From the beginning of creation, the three words oṁ tat sat were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. These three symbolic representations were used by brāhmaṇas while chanting the hymns of the Vedas and during sacriﬁces for the satisfaction of the Supreme.

Bg 17.25 — Without desiring fruitive results, one should perform various kinds of sacriﬁce, penance and charity with the word tat. The purpose of such transcendental activities is to get free from material entanglement.

Listen to Recording:

Bg 17.14 — Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Supreme Lord, the brāhmaṇas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence.

Bg 17.15 — Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneﬁcial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature.

Bg 17.16 — And satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and puriﬁcation of one’s existence are the austerities of the mind.

Bg 17.17 — This threefold austerity, performed with transcendental faith by men not expecting material beneﬁts but engaged only for the sake of the Supreme, is called austerity in goodness.

Listen to Recording:

Bg 17.12 — But the sacriﬁce performed for some material beneﬁt, or for the sake of pride, O chief of the Bhāratas, you should know to be in the mode of passion.

Bg 17.13 — Any sacriﬁce performed without regard for the directions of scripture, without distribution of prasādam [spiritual food], without chanting of Vedic hymns and remunerations to the priests, and without faith is considered to be in the mode of ignorance.

Listen to Recording:

Bg 17.8 — Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart.

Bg 17.9 — Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distress, misery and disease.

Bg 17.10 — Food prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is tasteless, decomposed and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and untouchable things is dear to those in the mode of darkness.

Listen to Recording:

Bg 17.7 — Even the food each person prefers is of three kinds, according to the three modes of material nature. The same is true of sacriﬁces, austerities and charity. Now hear of the distinctions between them.